She's grown on me, Luna
by PotterQueenBee
Summary: We do not know much about Luna before Book Five, so here's her life before and during Hogwarts. Appearances of The Golden Trio and other characters from the series. Short chapters/Snippets. 98% content is true (pottermore and other extensive research)
1. Nightmares

"Luna, dear, how many times do I have to tell you not to play with the dirigible plums?" Xenophilius Lovegood told his daughter in a soft and affectionate tone. He looked at her from the kitchen window, dancing barefoot on the humid grass, her long blonde hair flying in the air wildly.

It was a typical summer day. The sun shone and made the small drops of dew on the emerald-grass glint slightly when one looked down. The trickling of the nearby spring, where Luna had fished so many Gulping Pimplies before, was ever so calming in the summer breeze. The Lovegoods lived on top of a hill, where the village of Ottery St. Catchpole spread below them. The blue of the cloudless sky contrasted with the green hills covered with forests.

"Luna, time for lunch!" her father yelled from the window. Luna did not acknowledge his presence, but waltzed towards the entrance of the cylindrical house dreamily. Once in the house, she sat down promptly on the wooden chair with her father.  
"What're we eating today, Dad?"  
"I made some meat pie and dirigible plum sauce" he answered, eyeing her hastily and looking away. They started eating, but today was different. Even though the food was delicious, there were no laughs or talk about Nargles or Crumple-Horned Snorkacks. The silence was punctuated by the clattering of the forks and knives, and the occasional sighs of Xenophilius.

Luna's usual serene expression had been replaced by an unpleasant grimace; she didn't want to twirl and dance anymore, and humming was useless, since her voice had become hoarse.  
"Do you want Gurdyroot tea, honey?" Mr Lovegood asked, still looking down on his untouched food.  
"I'm okay, Dad. Thanks."

-0-

_A tall, blonde woman was sitting in her study. The walls are covered with charts and diagrams and even some Arithmancy calculations. She is muttering to herself, holding her wand between her fingers, playing with it absentmindedly._

_Her daughter is sitting on the tiled floor, reading Babbitty Rabbitty and Her Cackling Stump, not paying attention to her mother's incoherent whispers._

_The mother stands up and determinately walks in front of her desk. "Pulvis Persona!" she says. An amber light flows from her wand, and she gazes at it in delight, eyebrows raised. Her daughter raises her head to look at her mother. She grins widely, showing all her teeth. She is standing up and rearranging her blonde hair to come up to her mother and congratulate her._

_But she stops._

_The woman's face contorts into a look of horror. Her eyes are bulging out of their sockets; her collarbones are more visible than ever as she tries to inhale._

_And then the little girl runs and runs but never gets to where her mother is standing. The floor is slipping behind her. The little girl starts to sob as her mother screams her name for one last time._

_And where her mother stood, dust._

-0-

Luna woke up with a jump, sweating and tears running down her face. She looked out of the window and saw the stars, like tiny specks of silver. She sat on her knees.

And she cries her soul out until no tears are left. The part where her mother was inside of her is a dark hole, which consists of nothing: no energy or matter, just null in its purest state. And Luna doesn't want to touch that hole. She is scared of it. She doesn't dare to look inside. She cries her soul out until no tears are left; for today, three years ago, her dear mother left her forever, and she wasn't coming back.

**Okay so that was my first chapter! It's short, I know, but next chapters will be longer. Please review with your honest opinion, and since I am on holidays, I WILL update the story frequently!**


	2. The Letter

The sun filtered through the windows onto the blue carpet. Luna sat up slowly yawning and stretching. She could hear her father making breakfast downstairs, but decided to stay in bed for a while. There were only two weeks left till the start of September, which meant _school. _

She'd never had many muggle friends at school; she emitted dottiness from her large clear eyes and dreamy expression quite strongly. The children down at the village never believed her stories about Heliopaths or Crumple-Horned Snorkacks. They teased her, but she did not care too much. She knew she was different anyways, and if her father had said they existed, they did. She would not see why her father would lie to her about such things.

She did like a nearby wizarding family: the Weasleys. They lived at the other side of the village, and she'd been over a few times before. They had a girl who seemed quite nice, Ginny, but she'd never been too close with her anyways. Luna thought the twins were very funny. She started to giggle out loud. She considered them her friends simply because they let her come over and talk to them.  
"Luna, are you awake?" her father asked.  
Luna sat up straight, put her slippers on, and ran down the rickety spiral-case.

"Morning," she told her father as she hugged him from behind. She then sat down in the circular table, where her father had put two teacups full of Gurdyroot tea, which was Luna's favourite.  
_Tap, tap, tap, tap-_  
"What's that noise?"  
"It's an owl, look!" she said, pointing at the window.  
Xenophilius turned around and went to open it. The owl was flapping its wings uncontrollably. It was as big as Mr Lovegood's fist. Its plumage was magnificent though; the feathers were a purplish white. However, Xenophilius wasn't paying attention to the owl's appearance, but of the mess it was making. It flew around the kitchen twice, making the brass pots and kettles which were hanging from the walls fall over when it bumped against the walls.

Finally, it landed on the table, in front of Luna, sticking out its right claw where an envelope was attached with a red ribbon. She untied it and put it on a table.  
"Bloody owl!" she heard her father saying, which was unusual because Mr Lovegood barely cursed. He sat down and looked at the envelope.  
"It's for you Luna," he said panting "Go on, open it."  
Luna opened the envelope hastily, for she barely received anything. She unfolded the piece of parchment within, and read:

_Hogwarts School  
of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

_Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore  
(Order of Merlin: First Class, Grand Sorc. Chief Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Conf. of Wizards. )_

_Dear Miss Lovegood, _

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.  
Term begins on September 1__st__. We await your response by owl no later than July 31__st__. _

_Yours sincerely, _

_Minerva McGonagall,  
Deputy Headmistress. _

A rush of excitement filled Luna, which started at the back of her back to her very toes. Hogwarts! Finally! She'd heard all about it from the Weasleys and her father. She would finally find people like her and be able to discuss all sorts of magical creatures with the other students… and have friends! She looked up directly to her father's teary blue eyes and hugged him with all her might; she would miss him a lot.

"We'll need to go to Diagon Alley, then!" exclaimed her father, reading the list with all the material she'd need. Luna smiled and flipped her hair out of her face. After kissing her father on the cheek, she sat up and skipped her way up the stairs humming a playful tune.

Xenophilius looked at her go. He stayed seated, drinking the remaining tea. His little girl was going to Hogwarts. He was happy for her, because she was going to like it. Luna had always been very curious and loved seeing new things. He grinned looking down. But his smile faded away slowly as guilt settled in. How was he going to protect her? Sighing, he thought she ought to know the truth; Nargles, Crumple-Horned Snorkacks, Heliopaths, Umgublar Slashkitters… they were creatures that he and his daughter had spent the last three years researching and studying. But deep inside of himself, he knew that they did not exist. With the death of his beloved wife, Luna had had many nightmares in which she screamed and cried. He couldn't bear see his daughter suffer.

So to keep her safe, he had invented these creatures in which Luna had put her life into. She loved them and believed her father so strongly that it sometimes scared him, though he did not show this. They distracted her, and slowly, he saw Luna become a happier person.

He dreaded the day she'd discover that they did not exist, that they were her father's attempt of making his only daughter happy, simply because he loved her, and it was the only thing left in his life.

-0-

The next couple of days, he tried to pluck up the courage to tell her. However, Luna was so ecstatic over the fact that she was going to study magic, that he could not simply sadden her by telling her the truth.

**I was planning on continuing with the trip to Diagon Alley, but it seems best to leave it for the next chapter! So what do you guys think of my theory? Please review with your honest opinion! Thank you!**


	3. The Wand

**So I know that for now, Luna is not her dreamy self, but I decided that it was going to change with her arrival at Hogwarts. **** I also decided that the last chapter will be at the beginning of Harry's 5****th**** year, when they meet on the train, because from then on we know what happens. **

"Hold my hand and don't let go, okay?" Xenophilius said, putting his right hand out for his daughter to hold. Luna did as she was told, a bit nervous, but curious as well.

And all of a sudden, the living room starts to spin and contorts into a mixture of colours. She is holding onto her father with all her might, trying not to let go. And just as it all started, it stops. Luna finds herself on the floor, her left arm aching, and her eyes teary.

"Is Apparition always like that, Dad?" She asks, thinking that she wouldn't mind skipping the Apparition test.  
"You get used to it." he says helping her up.

Diagon Alley was a long diagonal street which was always crowded at this time of the year. Left and right witches and wizards were discussing and purchasing. It was not her first time in Diagon Alley, for Mr Lovegood's office was in this very street, being the editor of _The Quibbler_. However, it was the first time that Luna really appreciated it. When she'd come here, she'd be in her own world, singing and looking for butterbeer corks on the ground. Today, she enjoyed watching people choose their pets from the Magical Menagerie, or look at the glass jars displayed on the Apothecary's window, which were full of things ranging from snake's fangs to bubotuber pus.

"Starting at Hogwarts, are you?" said a plump woman at Madam Malkin's shop.  
"Oh yes, I'm very excited," she answered, looking around.  
"Well, let's see, dear…" said the woman, who Luna assumed was Madam Malkin.

Ten minutes later Luna came out of the shop with three sets of robes. And so on they went to all of the shops, Mr Lovegood checking the list occasionally. "Look, Dad, Ollivander's!" Luna said eagerly. She led her father by the hand excitedly into the shop. Before the pair stood massive shelves full of different wands, and a rather skinny man with wide shiny eyes.

"Good morning, I'm assuming you're here to buy a wand?" inquired Garrick Ollivander, "Come over, dear," he added, waving Luna to come up closer. After taking the necessary measurements, he disappeared into the mountain of wands and came back out.

"Dogwood, eleven inches, inflexible, unicorn hair." He told her. Luna took the wand between her fingers and waved it with confidence, but nothing happened. However, Luna was not disappointed, she merely handed it back to Ollivander whilst looking around.  
"Let's see, let's see…" she heard him saying behind the shelves. "Try this one…Beech, ten and a half inches, inflexible, unicorn hair." He gave it to her. She waved it delicately, and a blue, silky light came out of it, enveloping her graciously. Ollivander smiled, which was unusual, and then looked up to Xenophilius. "That'll be seven galleons, please."

Luna came out of the shop skipping, her eyes twinkling with joy.

**Note: Luna's first wand is not described so I took some liberties. However, I did look up on Pottermore the wood and core properties according to their owners, so I chose Beech, which is for open minded people and unicorn hair, for purity. Again, sorry for the length of these chapters, most of them will be short. **


	4. Welcome to Ravenclaw

Luna was sitting in an empty compartment, reading _The Quibbler _distractedly, with her wand behind one ear for safekeeping. Her father had told her not to do so, but she liked how it looked on her. She was going to miss him very much, she thought as she turned the page of her father's magazine. The train hadn't left yet, but Xenophilius had to go to work so he dropped her off early.

"Um can I sit here?" said a small voice coming from the corridor. A short, dirty blonde boy wearing a striped jumper and a pair of jeans stood before Luna. He looked at her apprehensively, probably because of her butterbeer cork earrings and the various charms hanging from her neck.  
"Oh, of course," she said, looking up to him "I'm Luna, Luna Lovegood…and you?" she added interestedly. "Um, I'm Colin. Colin Creevey." he answered, rubbing his thighs with his hands nervously. He looked at Luna, but saw that she was immersed in the magazine again. The train started to leave, and Colin stood on his knees to say bye to his parents. He then sat down and examined Luna closely; he supposed most wizards would be like her.

After a few minutes of strained silence he asked "Are your parents wizards?"  
Luna tilted her head and said "Well, both my parents are wizards, but I've only got Dad now." Colin understood that her mother had either left them or was not alive.  
"Well, I'm a muggle-born. I had no idea that what I could do was magic! I'm very excited to learn everything! Imagine Mum and Dad's reactions to when a woman with a hat and cloak rings on our doorbell and tells me I've been accepted at Hogwarts and that I'm a wizard! Are _you _excited to do anything?"  
"I'm very interested in Nargles, but Dad says we only learn about them in third year if we take Care of Magical Creatures…you?" she said, eyebrows raised, her round clear eyes observing Colin.  
"I want to meet Harry Potter! I've read everything about him! Do you think we'll meet him? Do you think he'll mind if I take a picture of him?"  
"Maybe we get a chance to see him on the train."  
And with that, she returned to _The Quibbler _and did not speak to anyone until the Hogwarts Express arrived at Hogsmeade.

-0-

"Oi, Luna, look!" Colin said gazing through the window. They'd arrived at Hogsmeade. Luna quickly glanced at the window and said "Yes, that's the village, I'm guessing." Luna thought that Colin was a bit overenthusiastic, but she liked it.  
Ten minutes later Luna was pulling her trunk into Hogsmeade's station following the deep voice saying "Firs' years…Firs' years…" She looked up to see whose voice it was. She didn't even have to crane her neck, for he was simply enormous.

He led all first years into small rickety boats. She found herself in it with Collin, Ginny and this other boy named Eldric. They squeezed into the boats. Eldric croaked "I've heard that there are all types of creatures down here". He pointed at the water, which reflected the dark of the sky. Collin looked enthusiastically down and held his hand out to touch the water but Eldric grabbed him violently. Ginny just raised her eyebrows and turned to Luna.

"Are you excited?" she asked.  
"Oh yes, very." She grinned back.  
"Right, well, um. I'm probably going to be a Gryffindor….what do you think you'll be sorted into?"  
"Well, Mum was a Ravenclaw. But it can always change."  
Ginny nodded and sighed. The boats had started moving in an eerie manner. They were like floating, undisturbed. The lake's water was smooth.  
Collin pointed and took a large intake of air. "Wow…" he whispered. Luna almost cracked her neck as she turned her head. And there, in front of her stood the castle. The building towered over the overwhelmed first years. Luna felt butterflies in her stomach.

-0-

"Lovegood, Luna!"

Her knees shaking, she headed towards the stool and sat down expectantly. The old, patched hat was placed on her head by Professor McGonagall, a woman dressed in emerald-green robes and her hair gathered in a rather tight bun.

"Hmmm I see loyalty…hmm and also curiosity, yes lots of it…hmm…Ravenclaw!" the Sorting Hat said, its voice echoing across the Hall. The Ravenclaw table clapped as she went and joined the table. She sat down next to an Indian-looking girl, probably a year or two ahead of her. "Hi, I'm Padma." She smiled. Luna looked at glossy dark hair, which had been braided. Padma struck her as very beautiful. "Hello."

Padma looked at Luna. She didn't have many friends in Ravenclaw, so she mostly joined her twin's friends in Gryffindor. However, Luna seemed nice enough, maybe they'd become friends. She _was_ a bit odd, mostly because of her earrings, fashioned out of butterbeer corks.

Luna sat quietly and ate. She thought of her father, having dinner alone. She smiled fondly at the thought of writing him a letter the next afternoon, telling him absolutely everything about Hogwarts.

Everyone stood up and left. She followed Padma into a large corridor. "Our head of house is Professor Flitwick. The small one, over there." She added, pointing at a short bespectacled man. They lost sight of the crowd and went up a small wooden staircase. "Just a shortcut," Padma said, reading the slight puzzlement in the first year's clear eyes. They got to a big oak door with a bronze eagle-shaped handle on it. Luna was about to reach out to turn the handle when it started moving, and asked, "What is darkness without light?"

"It's the way into our common room;" Padma said "Can you think of anything? No? Hmm…" but she hadn't even glanced at Luna and waited for her response- she was already thinking, biting her lip nervously. Truth is, Luna was pretty sure of what to answer, but didn't quite know whether to say it or not. "I think I know the answer," she said confidently. Padma raised one eyebrow. She _hated _when the doorknob asked questions that required you to be wise and logic; facts were better, in her opinion. "Well, neither can exist without the other-so nothing, I'd say" Luna finished. "Well argued, come on in!" the bronze eagle said, as the oak door opened.

Luna smiled and blushed. She was very pleased with herself. She looked up to Padma, as if asking for permission to go in. "Go on," Padma answered, putting her hand against Luna's back pushing her in.

Luna gasped. The common room was nothing like Luna would have imagined. It was a vast, circular room, with decorated windows along one half of it, from which one could see the shimmering waters of the lake and the mountains. The other half was covered in bookcases in all shapes and sizes, along with portraits of witches and wizards. There was a fireplace at one end, and in front of it there were two navy blue bean-bags. About a dozen of round wooden tables and dark blue comfy chairs stood at one side of the room and at the other the empty noticeboard. It was all decorated in the house colours, blue and bronze. What left Luna in shock, however, was the ceiling of the room. It depicted the night sky, in incredible detail.

"Yes, I know. Quite a thing, huh?" said an older-looking blonde girl, who was watching her reaction to the room's starred ceiling. "Penelope Clearwater, prefect. I'm here for whatever you might need. Welcome to Ravenclaw!" she shook Luna's hand pompously. "Girls' dorms are up this way, Luna." Padma showed her, pointing at a small door, similar to the one at the entrance. It was on the left hand side of a marble statue of a young adult woman.

Luna suddenly realized she was extremely tired. Trying to hide her yawn, she opened the door and went up the stairs which were carpeted in navy blue. "1st years" she read as she pushed the door open. She looked around. It was a circular room with five blue beds and two windows. Luna didn't bother for her roommates to come in, she simply put on her pyjamas, tucked under the covers of her bed and fell asleep quickly, smiling because it had probably been the best day of her life.

**This chapter is waaaaay longer than the other ones, that's why I haven't updated in a while. I'm also at school and so yeah it's kind of hard to keep up, but I do my best! If you have any suggestions on more doorknob riddles that'd be great, because they're pretty hard to come up with!**

**Review with your honest opinion! Don't be rude though :D**


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